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Finding the cuisine of your dreams is easy in Washington, where 1,000’s of restaurants offer a world of options, whether you want sushi or crave boeuf bourguignon. Securing a table can be the tricky part: Washingtonians dine out a lot. A LOT. Wheeler-dealers and socializing urbanistas fill restaurants throughout the city, from the U&14th Street Corridors, where the newest and hottest eateries proliferate, to the White House neighborhood’s upscale fine dining establishments. Be sure to make a reservation, whenever possible. Two services are very helpful in booking a table: www.opentable.com and www.cityeats.com. Most D.C. restaurants belong to one or the other service, and some are registered with both. Use them.

The city is also notable for its casual dining, and often the food is as sensational in these places as at the higher priced D.C. restaurants. (If you’re a fan of tacos, pizza, and burgers, you’ll love the appealing versions at Tacqueria Nacional , Graffiato , and Good Stuff Eatery . Asian cuisine is increasingly a favorite, with newcomer Daikaya taking the popular lead. Bistros serving “small plates” of delicious tastes are clearly here to stay, no matter whether the cuisine is Mexican, as at Bandolero , or the Middle Eastern mezze of Zaytinya . Finally, you should know that a boisterous bar scene is now a dining-out fact of life. And it can get loud. Good restaurants are in every neighborhood, and this chapter leads you to a range of options, spanning diverse cuisines and budget considerations.